Warner Bros. just announced that it will be consolidating its HBO Max and Discovery Plus streaming services into a single channel dubbed simply Max. The new service combines all existing programming currently available on HBO Max and Discovery Plus, including The last of usHouse of the Dragon, Deadliest HoldAnd Succession.
Max will also host new lineups like Gremlins: Secrets of the MogwaiAnd A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Knight of the Hedges in addition to projects in development based on The Big Bang Theory, Harry PotterAnd Conspiracy properties.
Discovery Plus and its programming will continue to be available as a low-cost standalone service. However, if you’re currently an HBO Max subscriber, here’s what you need to know.
- Max will launch in the US on May 23 and will launch in Latin America later this year. Some countries in Europe and Asia will receive Max in 2024.
- Existing HBO Max subscribers will have access to Max for the same price as their HBO Max subscription and will be able to visit help.hbomax.com/introducingMax to know more.
- HBO Max subscribers will still have access to features on their current plan for at least six months after launch.
- The HBO Max app will automatically update or subscribers will be prompted to download the new Max app starting May 23.
- Existing profiles, settings, watch history, “Keep Watching” and “My List” items will also be migrated to Max.
- Max will be available on all the same devices as HBO Max.
Max streaming levels and information
- Max Ad Lite | $9.99/month or $99.99/year
2 simultaneous streams, 1080p resolution, no offline downloads, 5.1 surround sound quality
- Max without advertising | $15.99/month or $149.99/year
2 simultaneous streams, 1080p resolution, 30 offline downloads, 5.1 surround sound quality
- Max Ultimate Ad Free | $19.99/month or $199.99/year
4 simultaneous streams, up to 4K UHD resolution, 100 offline downloads, Dolby Atmos sound quality
The current features offered by the Yearly HBO Max Ad-Free Package are comparable to the Max Ultimate plan, but this plan costs about $50 less; you are just limited to 30 offline downloads. If you’re looking to lock in a lower price for your annual plan while maintaining the same streaming quality, you might want to consider subscribing to an HBO Max annual plan right now.